Gas-holder



6 Sheets-Sheet 1,.

A. NBWELL.

GAS HOLDER (No Model.)

Patented (No Model.) 6 sheets-sheen 2,

A. NBWBLL.

GAS HOLDER.

No. 428,125. Y Patented May 20, 1890.

(No Model.) e sheets-sheet a.

A. NEWELL.

GAS HOLDER..

No. 428,125. Patented May 20, 1890.

6 Sheets-Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

A. NEWELL.

GAS HOLDER.

(No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet 5.

A. NEWELL.

GAS HOLDER. No. 428,125. PatentedMay 20, 1890.

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h'vl immun di" 'I N l www! lll/NIU mi and it has always been a difficult task to seal- UNITED .STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AUGUSTUS NEWELL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

GAS-HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 428,125, dated May 20, 1890.

Serial No. 314,511. (No model.)

To all whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, AUGUSTUS NEWELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gas-Holders; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, refere'nce being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to gas-holders having metallic tanks in lieu of the ordinary tanks consisting of pits dug in the earth and lined with masonry and cement. The latter construction has always been expensive and troublesome. It isexpensive to exeavate a pit of sufficient dimensions and wall the same,

such pit against the ingress or escape of water. In many localities where holders are located the ground is full of water, and frequently there are Springs tapped by 'the excavation, so that there is a constant tendency of the water to rise and hinder the building of the tank. In pits of this size used for such tanks it is extremely difficult to so line the same as to keep out or retain the water. If a complete lining of cement is made, often it is but a little while until the same is broken or cracked in one or more places, so thatthe water enters or escapes, accordingto the situation. Moreover, when the tank is a pit in the ground the parts which need repairing are largely inaccessible, while in works where all the apparatus is constructed above ground, surrounded by plenty of light and air, it is an easy matter for the engineer to control the. condition of the apparatus and maintain it in a proper state. Since the gas-holder tanks form a part of the most expensive apparatus which enter into the construction 'of gasworks, it is of great importance that both costl and facility of construction and maintenance receive the most careful consideration.

It has been the custom to repeat the old and well known construction of masonry tanks in almost every instance where a new gas-holder has been erected, although it is well known that the guarantee for perfect construction and proper results is exceedingly doubtful, even in good building ground. Numerous instances of defective masonry tanks prove the correctness of this assertion. For this reason it seems very necessary to look forward to a construction of gas-holder tanks which will overcome the above objections.

It is very difficult to estimate the probable cost of a masonry tank previous to its construction when the same is to be executed in treacherous ground, whereas the cost of a foundation to support the iron tanks is determined with comparative ease and provided for. In verybad grou nd piling becomes necessary, and, according to its formation, either wood, Sand, or concrete piles must be used. The character of such piling, if an iron constructin is to be used, is easily determined; but proper tests to determine what is required for a masonry construction can only with difficulty be obtained, owing to the increased depth. In consequence of the unreliability of these tests it frequently becomes necessary to resort to piling after the excavations for the tank have been made when the same had not been contemplated in the estimates. In other cases where water and quicksand become factors to be dealt with large expense is incurred in providing steam-boilers and pumps and in keeping them in operation during the construction of the tank. This expense is not infrequently supplemented by the necessity of sheet-piling. IVith the added expense is coupled the delay in completion, and many engineers who have been confronted with these obstacles have been compelled to spend double the time counted upon in the construction of the gas-holder tank, and during this time could not avail themselves of the probably much -needed additional storage capacity.

The time of completion forthe construction of an iron tank of average dimensions can, with certainty, be established to within a week or two, and in large tanks to within two or three weeks, and when compared with the time required to construct a brick tank under the most favorable conditions in good building ground can be accomplished in from twenty to thirty per cent. less time than that required for the masonry tank.

ICO

It is the opinion of many engineers that a masonry tank of large dimensions should be constructed the year previous to the construction of the holder. This has no doubt many advantages, but again adds to the cost of construction on account of the necessary protection against frost and deterioration dnrin g the winter months, the ordinary protection during this time being the filling of the tank with water, which of course has to be pumped out previous to the construction of the holder. \Vhen properly constructed and carefully executed, it is reasonable to expect that iron tanks will have the desired results as to perfectness; but this cannot be asserted of the masonry tank, and often its defects are not developed until it is being iilled with water, when in many instances apparently good and sound tanks show a large amount of leakage. There are many causes which may render the masonry tank defective before the holder is completed. Then lnuch water is excavated and pumping has to be continued after the tank is colnpleted to admit of the erection of the ironvork, it is possible that the back iilling of the tank-wall near its base is undermined, thus forming a receptacle for the water that penetrates the masonry work at this point, and is, no doubt, in many instances the cause of leaks that appear nnaceountable. As the exterior of the tank is inaccessible, the most careful examination ot the interior of the same would not detect the defect. These conditions do not exist in the construction of iron tanks, and should any defects be developed in the latter they are at once discernible and easily remedied.

Establishing a masonry tank, particularly a large one, frequently depreciates the value of the ground in which the tank is located. In our large and rapidly-growingcities, where ground in favorable locations increases in Value with the growth of the population, alot of ground occupied by a masonry gas-holder tank remains comparatively valueless, as it is not applicable to other uses without considerable loss and expense of filling the excavation occupied by the tank; butiron tanks located above ground are susceptible of being taken apart and removed and reconstructed in another location, thus leavin g the ground upon which they stood u ninju red for other uses.

Cast-iron tanks in the form of a large vat or cheese-box having a ilat horizontal bottom and upright wall have been heretofore used. It will be seen, however, that it is not practi cable to make large tanks of east-iron; but tanks of this shape have also been built up of wrought-iron or steel plates riveted to each other. In such tanks the interior space to be illed with water is practically the same as though the tank were constructed of masonry in the old way. In such construction alarge volume of water is needed, and the whole mass must be ol' the full depth ot' the tank.

Therefore the tank is of enormous weight,

anda substantial foundation must be provided for the entire area of the tank in the same manner that a strong foundation is needed for the entire area of the masonry tanks. If piling is needed at all, it must be provided over the entire area of the tank. It grouting and cement are used beneath the tank, they must be supplied over the entire area of the tank. All this is very expensive and requires the application of increased time, care, and skill. Furthermore, in such case, after the work has been completed, a large portion ot the tankviz., the entire bottom thereot-is rendered inaccessible.

My improvements apply to a gas-holder tank built up ot wrought-iron or steel plates in annular or ring form, so that a relatively small volume of water is required to iill the tank, whereby the total weight of. the tank is reduced, and so that only a circle of piling or other support need be provided as a foundav tion for the tank, thus rendering almost the entire surface of the tank accessible for inspection, painting, and repairs.

- The details of my invention will be understood from an :inspection of the accompanying drawings and an examination of the follow ing description and claims.

In said drawings, Figure l is a vertical central section of a gas-holder embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of one-half of the holder shown in Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a bottoni view of one-half of said holder. Figui is ahorizontal section through an annular hot-air chamber placed at the seal between the upper and lower sections of the holder. Figs. 5, G, 7, 8, 9, and l() are detail views. Figs. l1 and 12 ai'e perspective detail views. showing the construction of the inner wall of the tank.

The holder is represented as being composed ot a tank and two lifting-sections, said lifting-sections being provided with the usual interlocking water seal.

A is the upper section of the holder. 3 is the lower section, and C is the tank. Said tank is in the form ot an annular trough, and the space compassed by the inner wall is covered by the root C', the periphery of which is joined to the upper edge of said inner wall. Thus there is an open space below said` rool and within said annular trough. The principal part of the foundation must therefore be in the form of a circle beneath the annular trough. D is such a foundation. 'lhs may be of any suitable kind to meet the requirements of the particular situation chosen 'for the holder. It' the site for the holder is upon very firm ground or upon rock,ordinary stone abutments on a continuous wall, like the basement of a house, may be used; but it the site is upon soft ground, as over a bog, pond, or stream, piles may be used, as shown in the drawings. D D are such piles, and I)2 are caps resting upon the ends of the piles. Said piles may be arranged in a continuous series or in groups, according to the size ot TIO -the piles, the character of the ground, and

In Fig. l D3 is the nround-line a small` space being shown between the ground-line and the upper line of the foundation, so that the base of the tank does not quite reach the ground. In either of the arrangements suggested all the space between thebase of the holder and the ground or water line may be suitably inclosed. Vhen a continuous foundation-wall is used, such Wall of course makes the inclosure, and may be provided with windows and with doors, if the base of the tank is sufficiently far above the ground-line to admit doors; and if there is not sufficient space for doors a passage, as D4, may be excavated and provided with descending and ascending steps. The object in inclosing the space around the base of the tank is to protect the interior from the weather. The object of the windows is to afford light to the interior, and the object of the door or doors is to afford workmen access to the interior.

The tank C is composed of upright walls C2 C3 and the horizontal bottom C4, said upright walls being set apart sufficiently far to make room for the walls of the sections A and B and the guide-rollers, to be hereinafter described, and to make room for workmen when it is desired to paint or repair the said walls. The walls C2 and C3 and the bottom C4 may be continuous metal, or said bottom may be trough-formed and receive the lower edges ot' the walls C2 and C3, as shown in Fig. S. It will be seen that in this form of tank the quantity of water required to fill the tank is very much less than is required in the ordinary vat-form tanks, and that only sufficient water is required to immerse the walls of the sectionsA and B. In the massiveholders which it now customaryto construct this constitutes an enormous difference. In a holder having a diameter of one hundred feet the section of the water-tank need be only about three feet. The total weight of the tank is thus reduced by about three hundred and fifty to four hundred tons per'foot of altitude. It is of great importance that the .parts of this tank be made strong and durable, and yet, for the sake of saving expense of construction, it is desirable to reduce the quantity of joiht formed by the meeting of the horizontal edges is laid a strip of: angle-iron c4 and riveted to said edges, the free iiange of the angle-iron being above and projecting horizontally toward the interior of the tank. Thus the vertical lian ge of the an gle-iron unites the two edges of the plates c3 and seals the joint, while the horizontal iiange stands edgewise to the lateral strain of said wall, so that it stiffens the latter andv enables it to resist the pressure of the water between the walls C2 and C3. By reason of this horizontal flange of the angle-iron I am enabled to materially reduce the thickness of the plates c3. Itis to be noted that the pressure upon the inner wall C3 tends to collapse and buckle the latter and that the strain thereon is not a tensile strain, as is the case with the outer wall C2. For this reason stiffness or rigidity instead of tensile strength must be provided for the inner wall. This is carried out further by means of upright T- columns E, placed with their heads over the vertical joints formed by the meeting edges of the plates c3. Rivets e join the heads of said columns to the plates c3 and sealvsaid joints and bind said columns te said plates. Thus the web constituting the body of the column is placed edgewise to the wall C3 and the pressure exerted by the water against the wall. Said columns should extend between the angleirons cL and from the bottom to the top of said Wall C3. Thus the horizontal iianges of the angle-irons c4 will extend against the sides of the body of the column E. Further rigidity is secured by pieces c5, of angle-iron, arranged horizontally against each side `of the column E upon the horizontal iiange of the angle-iron c4 and riveted to said flange and said column by rivets e', whereby the breadth of said tlangeis made continuous horizontally around the entire wall C3. The Vertical tread F for the wheels L may also be placed opposite a portion or all of the columns E and secured by the rivets e e. Said tread will then add additional strength to said wall and will receive the guide-rollers of the lower section of the holder, as will be described farther on. (See Fig. 5.) In Fig. G said tread is shown as a part of the column E, said column and said tread having been rolled in a single piece in a rolling-mill, theweb f connecting the two, and the vertical edges of the plates c3 abut against said web. In such form the web f may be sufficiently wide to make a space larger than the thickness of the plates c3, so that dierent thicknesses of said plates may be inserted between said column and said tread. When the plates and said column have been riveted by means of the rivets c, a packing f', of lead or other suitable material, may be inserted between the face of the tread and the adjacent plate c8 to further seal the joint along said column. The roof C is also to be built of plates of any suitable form and maj7 have the joints constructed in any desired way. For the purpose of strengthening said roof angle-irons c may extend in concentric circles along the lower side of said roof, with the depending flange of the angle-iron on the side toward the outer edge o f said roof. G Gr TOO are bracing-rods resting against said angleirons c and extending obliquely downwardly and outwardly and resting by their lower ends upon the horizontal flanges of the angleirons c. Said bracing-rods are preferably parted and the ends formed by such parting inserted in suitably-threaded turn-buckles G. The meeting ends of said bracing-rods and the turli-bucklcs are preferably rightand-left threaded, so that by turning the turn buckles in the proper direction the rod will be suitably lengthened to give the desired support and shape to the roof C. Fig. 7 shows in detail one end of one of said bracin g-rods and a preferred manner of connecting the same to the angle-iron. In this case the bracing-rod is a common iron tube, and is secured above and below by a block of iron G2, having a projection G3 extending into the upper end of the rod and having an obliqne face resting against the flange of the angle-iron, and is secured to such angle-iron by means of a screw g3. The tendency of these bracing-rods is not only to support the roof C,but also to sustain the wall U3 against inward pressure. Braces G, of wood, maybe used.

II is a gas-induction pipe leading from the generating apparatus (not shown in the drawings) horizontally beneath the tank and thence upward through the roof C.

I is the gas-eduction pipe leading from the roof C downwardly below the lower portion of the tank and thence horizontally out to the main. (Not shown in the drawings.) A eonvenient arrangement is to couple the horizontal portions of the pipes II and I to elbows 71y and t, cast integral with the block Il', suitably supported from beneath and joining the upright portions of said pipes to the up per ends, respectively, of said elbows. The upper ends of said pipes Il and I have, respectively, a lateral flange 7L and t", through which and said roof bolts h2 and i2 extend. The blockll, b eingsupported from below, su pports the upright portions of said pipes, so that the latter form additional supports for the root' C. It is to be noted that these gas inlet and outlet pipes are entirely accessible at all times for the purpose of inspection or repair or for replacing. This is an advantageous feature. In the case of the ordinary masonry tanks these pipes are buried in the ground and extend upwardly through the body of water in the tank, so that they are inaccessible. Then it they need repairs it is extremely difticult to attend to them, and if they need replacing the work requires so much time as to make replacing impracticable as a business transaction. For example, if the business of a gasplant has increased to such an extent as to require larger inlet and outlet pipes to carry the volume of gas consumed, it might take a week or more to take up the old pipes and insert new ones, during which time the plant would have to beidle and the city be without gas. It would be disastrous to a gas company to shut down in this way for such a period of time. Their only course would be to build a newtank and holder with the large pipes, getting such new holder ready for use without stoppin g the works. This is not a mere fancy, but has actuallyoccurred in practice.l By my arrangement of apparatus a new and larger set of pipes may be arranged atleisure ready for making the connections. Then during a few hours the old pipes may be disconnected and the new ones connected.

Additional bracing-rods G may be placed vertically on suitable supports below and extend upwardly against the lower side ot' the roof C', and indeed, if desired, the entire root' may be supported in this way. The wall C2 is also to be built up of metal plates c; but these may be joined at their meeting ends in any desired way. In the drawings, Fig. 2, they are shown as meeting at their vertical edges and as being joined by means of rivets to an overlapping strip c2, excepting at the uprightguide-eol umns J. Said gu ide-cohnnns are similar to the columns E, applied to the wall C, and are applied in the same way, and have on the inner side of the wall C2 a tread J", which forms the counterpart of the tread F, applied to or forming a part of the opposite column E. The opposite treads I11 and J form a way for the lower guide-rollers of the holder. L and L are said guide-rollers. These are mounted in the ends of the horizontal shoe L2, which shoe is suitably secured tothe lower edges of the section B of the holder, and is of proper length to cause said rollers to lit against the adjacent treads. It is tobe observed that by this construction I am enabled to use two guide-rollers instead of one, and that by using said guide-rollers I sustain the wall of the movable section where they are applied against both inward and out-ward movement. In the common form of holder these guide-rollers are applied singly and only against the outer wall of the tank, so that the roller at any one point holds that portion of the movable section against outward movement, but not against inward movement, so that one side of the movable section ofthe holder is dependent upon the rollers on the cxtreme opposite side, seventy-tive or one hundred feet away, to be held against inward movement. It will be seen that in such case, even if the rollerson the extreme Opposite side endure the strain, the walls of the srction may yield enough by reason of their elasticity to allow the portion of the wall against which there is pressure-as, for ex ample, from win d-to move inwardly. M y inner rollers Il act directly to sustain the portion of the wall to which they are attached against inward movement. Ihus the holder is made much more stable and to a very large extent freed from strain, so that it maybe constructed of lighter material and will en dure longer.

The upper portion of the section B has the ordinary rollers b bearing against the tread lOO IIO

IZO

J', and the upper portion of the section A also has similar rollers a bearing against the tread J.

In order that the water in the annular tank C ma not freeze during cold weather I )ro- 0n escaping from said pipe the hot air will rise from the pipe and meet the roof of the tank, and thence spread radially toward the outer portion of the interior of the tank, and thence, by reason of its greater weight derived from cooling and by reason of the pressure from the other air forced from the pipe M, it descends along the wall C3 and passes out horizontally beneath the bottom of the tank C at such places where openings are provided. Thus a constant flou7 and movement ot' warm air are maintained. It the cold is only moderate in intensity, the air may be driven slowly through the pipe and the interior of the tank suiiiciently fast to impart a large quantity of heat to the walls of the tank. It is to be noted that by this arrangement the hot air passes over the entire surface of the wall C3, and also over a considerable portion of the bottom of the tank, and that in rising, (since it is lighter than the outer ain) after passing horizontally outward below the bottom of the tank, it will rise along the outer wall of the tank and still further impart warmthv to the tank through the outer wall C2, or at any rate by rising along said outer wall it will to a considerable extent keep the outside cold atmosphere away from the exterior of the tank. While this method of imparting warmth to the water in the tank is effective and economical, it h'as the further merit of being entirely safe. The hot air may be brought from such distance from the holder that there is no danger of igniting the gas and causing the explosion of the holder. For this reason this method is regarded as preferable to any other.

Vhen the holder is illed sufficiently to cause the interlocking ot the two sections A and B and the lifting of the upper portion of the lower section out of the water in the tank C, there is danger during cold weather that the water forming the seal 'between the sections A and B will freeze. I have provided forwarming this water by means of hot air or steam. Either will answer the purpose. Each is a gaseous body and will flow readily through the passage O. In Fig. l the passage O is shown as formed along and in contact with the upper edge of the section B in such manner as that a portion of the wall of said passage is also the wall of the section B adj acent to the seal formed between the sections A and B. Fig. 4 shows a horizontal section through the chamber O. At a suitable point said passage O has a 'partition 0, and on one side of said partition is located an inlet-coup ling O', which receives a iiexible conductor O2, leading from a source of hot air or from a steam-supply. O3 is an outlet on the opposite side' of the partition o. Vith the exception of said inlet and outlet the passage O is closed. Thus the air or steam may enter through the inlet O and follow in the direction ot the arrows all the way around the holder and then escape through the outlet O2. This iiow of the heated gaseous body (air or steam) adjacent to the seal warms the metal in the water and prevents the Jfreezing of the seal. By means of the flexible c onductor O2 the section may move up and down without breaking the connection between the passage O and the sou'rce of hot air or the steam supply.

I claim as my inventionl. In a gas-holder, the combination, with a movable section, of an annular metallic tank having the space between the upper edge of its inner wall closed by means of a roof, a gasinduction pipe and a gas-eduction pipe extending horizontally beneath said tank and rising to an opening through the roof, and a hot-air-induction pipe extending horizontally beneath said tank and opening into the interior space inclosed by said tank and roof, suitable openings being provided at the bottom of said tank for the escape of the hot air introduced through said hot-air-induction pipe, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a gas-holder, a movable section provided with inner and outer rollers and a tank provided with inner and outer treads for said rollers, substantially as shown and described.

3. In a gas-holder, a movable section having shoes L applied to its lower edge and bearing rollers at their ends and a tank provided with opposite vertical treads for said rollers, substantially as shown and described.

4. In a gas-holder, the combination, with a movable section, of an annular tank to receive said section, said annular tank having on the inner tace of each of its walls vertical treads, and the lower edge of said movable section having rollers arranged to run upon said treads, substantially as shown and described. v

5. In a gas-holder comprising an annular tank and a movable section, a vertical tread on the outer wall ot' said tank,a similar tread placed on the inner wall opposite the tread on the outer wall ot said tank and within the movable section, and a pair of rollers attached to the lower edge of the wall ot said movable section'and iitted to run upon said treads, substantially as shown and described.

G. In a gas-holder, the combination, with a movable section, of an annular tank to re ceive said section, said annular tank having on the inner face of its outer wall a vertical tread and on the opposite face of the inner wall ot said tank a similar tread opposite the tread on the outer wail, a shoe L2, applied to IOO IIO

the lower edge et said section, and a roller applied to each end of said shoe and against said treads, substantially as shown and described.

7. In a gas-holder, the combination, with a movable sect-ion, of an annular tank whose inner wall is composed ot metallic plates having their horizontal edges joined by means ot al1 overlapping angle-iron and their vertical meeting edges joined by a vertical column, the ends of the horizontal fiau ge of said angleiron being joined to the body ot said column, substantially as shown and described.

S. In a gas-holder, the combiii'ation, with the movable section provided with rollers, of an annular tank having its inner wall strengthcned by upright columns, and said columns having combined with them a guide-roller tread, substantially as shown and described.

f). In a gas-holder, the combination, with the movable section provided with rollers, of an annular tank, the inner wall ot said tank being comprised of metallic plates whose vertical meeting edges are joined by means of a column, and a roller-tread extending over the vertical edges of said plates, substantially as shown and described.

10. In a gas-holder, a movable section provided with rollers and an annular tank for receiving said movable section, the inner wall of said tank being composed of metallic plates whose vertical meeting edges are joined by means of a column having a webf, and plates being riveted to said column, substantially as shown and described.

ll. In a gas-holder, an annular tank anda movable section provided with rollers and extending into said tank, said annular tank having its inner wall composed of metallic plates whose vertical meeting edges are joined by a T-eolumn having formed upon it a web f', extending between said plates and joined to a tread F for said rollers, said plates being riveted to the head of said column, and the horizontal meeting edges of said plates being joined by an angle-iron, the ends ol' the horizontal flange of the angle-iron being joined to the body of said column, substantially as shown and described.

l2. In a gas-holder, an annular tank and a movable section provided with rollers and ex tending into said tank, said annular tank having its inner wall composed of. metallic plates, and having the meeting vertical edges of said plates joined by means of a T-column, a web f extending between the edges of said plates and supporting a tread l? f or said rollers, and the edges of said plates being riveted lo said T-colu mn,anda suitable packingbeing driven between said plates and said tread, substantially as shown and described.

In a gas-holder, the combination,with a movable section arranged to join by its upper portion to the lower portion et a section above it by means of the ordinary water seal, of a closed passage O, extending along and in contact with the upper portion of the lower section, and having a flexible conductor leading into said passage, and having a suitable outlet near the point at which said flexible conductor is joined to said passage, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature, in presence of two witnesses, this 24th day of May, in the year 1889.

AUGUSTUS NIVELL.

lVitnesscs:

CHARLEs ll. Renners, CvRUs Kuna. 

